Ghostly Hostage is an excellent example of a series can continue to grow and expand its universe and make narrative choices that are both exciting and challenging.
In Ghostly Hostage, our main couple has just finished their much needed vacation abroad a cruise. Theyāve also decided to move into Lanceās house together. All big plans and steps forward in their relationship.
But immediately they and this story is plunged into a hostage situation.
Usually itās Homicide Detective Angus whose life is placed in jeopardy. But here, instead, itās the morgue with all its employees weāve gotten to know and become fond of who are in eminent danger.
Laya makes the situation even more complicated by placing at its center a case and the people holding them at gunpoint, people we will understand and empathize with. Itās a horrible situation but at its heart is something far worse. A dead child who may have been murdered.
The author switches the perspective back and forth between the increasingly tense hostage situation and those outside the morgue hoping for answers, amplifying the suspense and the anxiety scene by scene. Even as the emotional component is realistically raised by those inside and out, with people crumbling under the stress, Laya remembers this is a police procedural that includes stalling by the hospital, warrants, and long hours of believable research. Even when thereās ghosts involved.
And thereās plenty of ghosts involved here. Including new ones. They flow seamlessly into the investigation in increasingly familiar but complex ways. And it adds to the paranormal aspect of this series by involving new characters in this world.
The crime, criminal, and ending was one I really appreciated. Although itās a ghostly tale, the author treats it in a factual, grounded in reality manner that elevates the story.
I canāt wait to see what happens next.
Iām highly recommending this book and the entire series.
Back from vacation, Lance is ready to dive back into workāthat is, until the morgue employees are taken hostage on his first day back. Held at gunpoint was not how he thought he’d spend his day. With their lives on the line, Lance and the others have no choice but to follow orders and perform the autopsy that’s been demanded.
Angus never dreamed he’d be the one worrying about Lance being killed. He was the one with the dangerous job, not Lance. With the only information he can get coming from the ghosts, Angus and his mother try to sort through the evidence and do everything they can to keep Lance and the others alive.
As the case unfolds, Angus faces twists and turns he never saw coming, and as the truth is exposed, he prays the vacation he just enjoyed with Lance won’t be the last one they ever share.
Music & Dreams by J.P. Sayles is another entertaining story in multi-author The Road to Rocktoberfest collection.
This time the band, Grambo, is a lesser element in the narrative, than the development of the relationship between the two main characters. That would be lead singer and single dad, Lorcan Swain, and the tutor, Rogan Hanlon , heās employed to teach his 7 year old daughter,Amy.
Rogan or Ro was born with a cleft palate and harelip, both of which have since been surgically repaired. But the consequences of growing up with these impairments and the bullying that came with it, Rogan has self esteem issues and fears of hospitals.
Sayles does a terrific job with the characterizations when it comes to Roganās issues with his past and emotional distress over his scars. I think most readers will find him very relatable. Add in his dynamic with the daughter and heās a lovely person.
What doesnāt work or isnāt as well layered into his personality is the music. Itās supposed to be a major part of his life and his storyline. But even as a hidden talent, itās development is a superficial aspect of Roganās story. We donāt know about his guitar, songwriting or singing until after the halfway point. And even then, it feels more like a light afterthought than a well defined one.
What does work is the way the three of them, Lorcan, Ro, and the daughter come together as a family. Then comes the band and an out of nowhere drama that feels false.
But the family and romance elements are heartwarming and truly lovely. If the rockstar part feels like an afterthought, well, thatās ok.
Itās still a good contemporary romance.
The Road to Rocktoberfest-12 books
ā Rocking Karma by Kage Harper
ā¦ Axe to Grind by Gabbi Grey
ā¦ Key Change by Ari McKay
ā¦ More Than October by Blake Allwood
ā¦ Faded Dreams by BL Maxwell
ā¦ Midnight Riff by Lynn Michaels
ā¦ Damaged Saints by Layla Dorine
ā Music & Dreams by JP Sayles
ā¦ Seltzer’s Taylor: Embrace the Fear book 3 by TL Travis
Can one manās dreams help him reach another manās heart?
Lorcan Swain has the world at his feet. Apart from his music and his daughter, Amy, there is no room in his life for anything or anyone elseāuntil an accident makes him see what has been right in front of him all this time: Rogan.
Rogan Hanlon is passionate about two thingsāmusic, and his boss, Lorcan, lead singer of Grambo. A birth defect forces him to keep both passions hidden and his heart protected.
Who would want a disfigured man?
Once Lorcan sets his heart on something, he goes all out to get it. The two weapons in his arsenal to help him achieve his goal are Amy and his music. And if that means using them both on the biggest stage at Rocktoberfest to prove how he feels?
Bring. It. On
Music & Dreama is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for. Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!
Itās great to have another collection of books and authors to enjoy reading, this time the theme is a multi-band rock concert called Rocktoberfest.
Rocking Karma by Kage Harper has the band Corvus Rising as the center dynamic. The main characters are Dax Crow, mixer, songwriter, and half brother to the lead singer Jameson Crow. The other is the new bass player Lane Bennett, younger, naive, and surprisingly, with a hidden talent.
Harper creates in Dax a man whose life has been hard, his survival based upon his own ability to make tough decisions, be , as another man calls it āresourcefulā , doing whatever it takes for him to make his way. The wonderful element here is that the narrative allows Dax to change and develop, slowly revealing more of himself and his background as the relationship between himself and Lane continues.
Lane, while not as tough or as damaged, is still got the depth of personality. His character is another thatās slow to see all the many dimensions of his life and his heart. Together, with a tiny flop of a dog called Princess, they absolutely stole my heart.
Thereās plenty of drama in this story, a storyline that concerns control, a side character taking advantage, and I enjoyed how that plays out.
The other characters, primarily the other members of this band, they are people I actually would have loved more information about. Whether itās Brody, or the brother Jameson, or those fabulous women, they werenāt just supporting cast but vividly alive important characters of this book.
If the rest of the collection is half as strong and great as Rocking Karma : The Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 by Kage Harper, I canāt wait to read more.
Iām highly recommending this story and author. Itās a fantastic read.
The Road to Rocktoberfest-12 books
ā Rocking Karma by Kage Harper
ā¦ Axe to Grind by Gabbi Grey
ā¦ Key Change by Ari McKay
ā¦ More Than October by Blake Allwood
ā¦ Faded Dreams by BL Maxwell
ā¦ Midnight Riff by Lynn Michaels
ā¦ Damaged Saints by Layla Dorine
ā¦ Music & Dreams by JP Sayles
ā¦ Seltzer’s Taylor: Embrace the Fear book 3 by TL Travis
I’ve cut and run on my life more than once in my thirty-one years, leaving everything behind, even my name. Now I’m Dax Crow, long lost half-brother and mixing technician for Jameson Crow, the lead singer of Corvus Rising. I’m using my hard-won skills to help my brother make it big. The rest of the band are incidental to me, although new bass player Lane Bennett is a hot mess of young talent who urgently needs someone to take him under their wing. Not my job. I never get close to anyone. Until some douche of a boyfriend begins jerking the kid around, and I’ve been there, done that. Maybe I can at least give him some advice.
Lane
Playing with Corvus Rising is my dream come true, and I can’t believe in October we’ll play for sixty thousand fans at Rocktoberfest. I just hope I can measure up. The last six months have been a steep learning curve, but I have my secret boyfriend to encourage and direct me whenever he’s around. I wish we could go public, but he’s with the record label and it wouldn’t look good. I also have my secret joyā performing drag as Ms. Fox, when I get the chance. It’s hard juggling everything while touring with the band, but I think I have it under control. Then my worlds collide and my boyfriend shows his true face. I find myself getting surprising advice and support from Dax, the gorgeous, secretive guy behind Corvus’s sound. But I doubt even Dax can turn this disaster into a triumph.
content warning: emotional abuse, coercion
Rocking Karma is a book in the multi-author Road to Rocktoberfest 2023 series. Each book can be read as a standalone, but why not read them all and see who hits the stage next? Hot rockstars and the men who love them, what more could you ask for. Kick back, load up your kindle and enjoy the men of Rocktoberfest!
āIt was on. Number one against number three, battling it out in a tight race for the top spot in the Premier League.ā
ā Be My Endgame: An MM Rivals-to-Lovers Sports Romance by Zarah Detand
It thanks almost totally to Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenneyās āWelcome to Wrexhamā series about buying Wrexham, a Welsh football (soccer to us in the US) team, I do know a bit about the pyramid shaped structure of the football league abroad. And a smidge of the other aspects of the game thatās so central to the story that Detandās Be My Endgame tells, that of two players in the game of their lives and the relationship that comes with it.
Itās been a long time since Iāve read a novel that I felt was as quintessentially British as this was. I do read a lot of authors who are from the UK but their books havenāt been grounded in a world as British and non American as is the world of whatās known as football there and soccer here. Add to that the element of aristocracy in the form of one of the main characters, Earl Alex Beaufort, whose father is a Duke of not whatever Alex is an Earl of. Ah, rules of the peerage! Thereās Lords, seats in Parliament, and issues of class.
The other main character is Manchester Unitedās top striker, Lee Taylor, a ācommonerā with a mum who has battled mental illness and has raised his sisters when sheās been unable to cope. In top of class issues to deal with, each has sexuality issues that have affected their lives and past relationship, both being in the closet.
Enforced proximity as teammates for the World Cup is a perfect format for bringing multiple themes into the mix as well as action on the field as the teamās fight up towards their goals.
Detandās characters are well defined, the issues each faces laid out in emotional scenes that pull the readers in, and the supporting cast are charming and engaging personalities we enjoy spending time with.
Thereās several unexpected dramatic events towards the end, one expected and well conceived. The other like as though it was a distraction from the main story. And never got a full explanation.
Be My Endgame by Zarah Detand is my first by this author but wonāt be the last. Iām off to explore more Detand has released. Until then, this is a definite recommendation.
Sometimes the endgame is only the beginning. In the heated world of the Premier League, Earl Alex Beaufort, a charming Liverpool midfielder, collides on-pitch with Lee Taylor, Manchester Unitedās top striker. But when Englandās World Cup dream brings them to sunny Spain, the real game unfolds: sharing a room. Rivals to teammates to ā¦ more?
Dive into this banter-filled MM sports romance where football meets unexpected feelings. A tale where a āpretty boyā comment isnāt just playful teasing, and a kiss isnāt just a kiss. As the tension of the World Cup escalates, so does the connection between Alex and Lee.
But amidst the drills, goals, and growing team camaraderie, shadows of family legacies and personal battles loom large. Can Alex, struggling with duke-sized expectations and his bisexuality, embrace his true self? Will Lee learn to dribble past his trust issues? Get ready for emotional offsides, family fouls, and a journey of self-discovery as thrilling as a last-minute goal.
With doses of British humour and heartwarming honesty, Be My Endgame serves up a pitch-perfect contemporary MM romance against the electric backdrop of the World Cup. Expect the unexpectedābecause when it comes to love and football, anything can happen in 90 minutes (plus injury time).
I have to admit that early on, my thoughts were that Slay Ride was just one more story about a group of psycho revenge killing brothers, a trope gaining popularity in LGBTQIA romance. The elements havenāt varied enough, 5 brothers, killing, torture, etc, so that only one or two authors have made it really fascinating.
But Slay Ride turns into something else that is side adjacent but still makes this storyline its own. The brothers here have a compelling history that King eventually weaves further into a larger plot line that gives the characters and this book a different feel and direction emotionally.
King does surprise me with the choices that are made narratively with the romances and themes. Mason, a vulnerable man whose attack begins the novel, starts a sexual relationship immediately with Gabe, one of the brothers. For me, that was problematic. Except that King starts to roll it back with more focus on the actual storyline, action, and finally, when Masonās deep trauma over his ordeal surfaces, the real need for just contact and then therapy is recognized.
King has an Authors note at the beginning stating that this fiction is perhaps more in a gray area, than that of actually being dark fiction. After reading this, thatās pretty accurate. Any discussion of childhood trauma, sexual abuse, assault is off page, left to the readerās mind, as well as any real torture is along those same lines.
I have included Kingās trigger warnings below.
Slay Ride was a real surprise for me. It took my narrative expectations and gave them a great twist with the characters and plot. I connected with all the characters, I found myself invested in the multiple storylines, and, although I could have wished for a worse ending for the villains, I was satisfied with that ending.
Now Iām wondering if the next book will feature all of them or just one couple. Either way, Iāll be there to find out.
This is a definite yes !
Saint Brothers:
ā Slay Ride #1
āTRIGGER WARNING This book contains on-page violence, torture, attempted rape, and off page mention of child abuse.ā
Christmas is a time for joy, family, and friends to gather around the tree and fill their hearts with love. Unfortunately, there are some people who donāt deserve happiness during the holidays.
Mason keeps to himself. His best friend, JJ, is the only one he chooses to be close to, plus his job keeps him busy. Excitement isnāt something he needs or wants in his life. One night, that all changes when heās cornered, and his life is threatened. His saviors? Well, they turn out to be just as dangerous, and the mysteries surrounding them soon flip Masonās world upside down.
Gabe and his brothers spend their lives making sure those who deserve death get whatās coming to them. The one person they never see coming is Mason. What for them should have been a simple rescue turns into even more chaos than they ever thought possible.
Enter the Saint brothersā dark and twisted world on a slay ride that will have you on the edge of your seat, swooning for the bad boys, and trying to survive the fall of revenge.
**This was originally a short story that was part of the Christmas Anthology O Deadly Night Vol 1. It has since been expanded to a full-length novel. No Cliffhanger!
ā Slay Ride (Saint Brothers Book 1) by Davidson King
Justice is the second in Taylorās Damned Connections paranormal romance series, a sequel to the original Reckless Damned that featured the sons of Lucifer and their mates. This one focuses on the outlier characters from that series and their own journey to find their mates.
Vampire assassin Sebastian has lurked about the edges of many a story, snarling and sneering, while providing evidence for his deadly powers with his legendary blade Bessy. Now we get his romance as his tragic history.
Taylor has paired him , that most āmonstrous of menā , up with with a man most would consider a true innocent. Thatās Matty, whoās brother and mate got their story in the first book, Patience. Matty is that sunny, effervescent personality, a knitting sunny bundle of emotions thatās recently undergone a severely traumatic experience. One that he still has nightmares about.
Please read the trigger warnings for this story. They happened in a prior story and anything here is off page details but those sensitive to this subject matter should be aware.
Taylorās story gives us two men working through the darkness and damage that lifeās worst has dealt them. Each character has let the traumatic violence , emotional damage and the deep fear of loss/death theyāve experienced impact their lives, but in different ways.
Sebastian has cut himself off from all relationships, removing himself ,and potentially anyone he might come to care for, from repeat of the history that continues to haunt him. Mattyās life has become more circumspect, heās got protection 24/7 whether he wants it or not. Plus heās unaware of the paranormal world and beings that exist in and around him. Theyāve all kept him ignorant for his safety.
In Justiceās fast paced storyline, Clark brings everything together on a collision course. The previous plots from the Damned Connection series weaves together with the story here to bring Sebastian and Matty together.
Itās heartbreaking, tortuous, a definite hurt/comfort, but so satisfying when it all finally comes back together as the characters work through their own struggles and emotional damage to a realistic mating the reader feels fit them both as it should.
Sebastian was never going to be an easy fix but I didnāt realize how hard Clark was going to make the journey for Matty too. That balance was needed for this to be true for them both.
Now for the next novel, Temperance. I canāt wait.
Blood. Torture. Murder. Theyāve been my only companions for centuries. I havenāt needed or wanted anything else.
Until I see Matty smile. Then something in me, something thatās been dormant for centuries, begins to reawaken.
Matty doesnāt belong in my world. Heās loving, innocent, and full of joy. The darkness of my life would corrupt him in a heartbeat, but when heās dragged into it against his will, nothing can stop me delivering my personal brand of justice.
Matty keeps fighting for things I canāt give him, for things Iām no longer capable of. I canāt come between him and his family. I canāt give him what he needs.
But I also canāt stay away from him.
Matty
Iām surrounded by couples in love.
Once, I thought thatād be me. That Iād be swept off my feet and experience the kind of epic love you only see in movies.
Now, I know better.
A horrific night taught me to look for other things in a partner. Someone whoās predictable. Safe. Stable.
Sebastian is anything but.
Everyone tells me to stay away from him, but I donāt understand their concerns. How can he be a villain when all heās shown me is kindness?
He makes me want things I thought Iād given up on. Things Iām too scared to admit I still want.
The trouble is, I canāt figure out what Sebastian wants. He tells me he canāt say no to me, but he wonāt open up. He says to stay away from him, but he keeps coming around.
One thing is for sure, Sebastian is who I want in my future.
But how can I keep fighting for us if Iām the only one doing it?
Justice is a MM PNR romance about a grumpy vampire assassin and the sunshine human he canāt stay away from. The second in the Damned Connections series, each book will follow a different couple as they find their HEA. Although better read in order, these books can stand alone.
The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark is a terrific paranormal romance. I enjoyed it immensely. Anyone whoās a fan of shifters/mate romances will enjoy the story but thereās a slight caveat.
This book takes place within Clarkās Kincaid Pack universe. Itās helpful to have an understanding of the events and characters from that series as it impacts heavily upon the storyline and couple here. Important Kincaid Pack members are also a part of this story, although Clark does a good job of explaining who they are and how they figure into the plot.
Getting all that out of the way, this book is launched is a great way. With a dramatic scenario and introduction to all the major characters.
Mob boss Quinten Amato is having to adapt to the new world order since the Kincaid Pack took down the corrupt paranormal government that kept things orderly and predictable. A structure that suited him and all his businesses just fine.
Clark gives us a ruthless man at the top, in an uncertain world where heās got to negotiate a new path without any loss of prestige or credibility. Then a dramatic scenario opens up, where we meet Caden, a deeply damaged shifter, one guaranteed to make an impact on Quintenās future.
Caden is such a vulnerable, wounded character. Itās impossible not to connect with him, either for the reader or for Quintenās employees who surround him. Clarkās supporting cast is as intriguing and layered in their personalities as the main couple. They grab our interest too with their interactions with Caden and Quinton, making us want to know more about each of them.
The plot lines equally interesting, up to the great characters. If itās all over a bit too quickly, then head over to the other series to read more about this universe and the events mentioned here.
Hopefully, this couple will pop up again in another book and series. The characters have a way of doing that.
This is a wonderful read and itās got my recommendation.
Related Series
ā Kincaid Pack (6 books)
ā The Mobsterās Mate – single story
ā Silver Oak Pack-2 books so far (also within the same universe)
A human mob boss and an injured jaguar shifter brought together by a cruel enemyā¦ and fate.
Caden hasnāt believed in fated mates since he was a cub. He figures itās more of a fairytale that shifter parents tell their kids than the reality of what passes for mates in some of the packs heās seen.
But then he comes face-to-face with a human man who smells like orange blossoms and radiates authority and safety.
And Cadenā¦ Well, he hasnāt felt safe in a long time.
While the rest of the world fears and reviles Quinten Amato and the things he does under the guise of his business, Caden is drawn to him like a cub to an alpha. He doesnāt care what anyone says or what Quinten does, he and his jaguar know the kind of man he is.
The kind who saved his life.
The kind who comforts him when he wakes up terrified.
The kind whose calm commands set his blood on fire.
Convincing his bossy human theyāre meant to be together isnāt going to be easy. Especially not when Quintenās certain Caden needs things he canāt get from himāand that being a part of Quintenās life in the shadows is too dangerous.
And he might be right.
The Mobsterās Mate is a full-length novel featuring a human with questionable morals and a jaguar shifter who only sees the best in him. Youāll find an age gap, found family vibes, fated mates, and gobs of possessiveness.
This title is a standalone novel set within the Kincaid Pack universe. It can be read and enjoyed on its own. However, if youād like to understand the nuances of the world, then start your journey with The Alpha and His King (Kincaid Pack Book 1).
The Mobster’s Mate by Kiki Clark is a terrific paranormal romance. I enjoyed it immensely. Anyone whoās a fan of shifters/mate romances will enjoy the story but thereās a slight caveat.
This book takes place within Clarkās Kincaid Pack universe. Itās helpful to have an understanding of the events and characters from that series as it impacts heavily upon the storyline and couple here. Important Kincaid Pack members are also a part of this story, although Clark does a good job of explaining who they are and how they figure into the plot.
Getting all that out of the way, this book is launched is a great way. With a dramatic scenario and introduction to all the major characters.
Mob boss Quinten Amato is having to adapt to the new world order since the Kincaid Pack took down the corrupt paranormal government that kept things orderly and predictable. A structure that suited him and all his businesses just fine.
Clark gives us a ruthless man at the top, in an uncertain world where heās got to negotiate a new path without any loss of prestige or credibility. Then a dramatic scenario opens up, where we meet Caden, a deeply damaged shifter, one guaranteed to make an impact on Quintenās future.
Caden is such a vulnerable, wounded character. Itās impossible not to connect with him, either for the reader or for Quintenās employees who surround him. Clarkās supporting cast is as intriguing and layered in their personalities as the main couple. They grab our interest too with their interactions with Caden and Quinton, making us want to know more about each of them.
The plot lines equally interesting, up to the great characters. If itās all over a bit too quickly, then head over to the other series to read more about this universe and the events mentioned here.
Hopefully, this couple will pop up again in another book and series. The characters have a way of doing that.
This is a wonderful read and itās got my recommendation.
Related Series
ā Kincaid Pack (6 books)
ā The Mobsterās Mate – single story
ā Silver Oak Pack-2 books so far (also within the same universe)
A human mob boss and an injured jaguar shifter brought together by a cruel enemyā¦ and fate.
Caden hasnāt believed in fated mates since he was a cub. He figures itās more of a fairytale that shifter parents tell their kids than the reality of what passes for mates in some of the packs heās seen.
But then he comes face-to-face with a human man who smells like orange blossoms and radiates authority and safety.
And Cadenā¦ Well, he hasnāt felt safe in a long time.
While the rest of the world fears and reviles Quinten Amato and the things he does under the guise of his business, Caden is drawn to him like a cub to an alpha. He doesnāt care what anyone says or what Quinten does, he and his jaguar know the kind of man he is.
The kind who saved his life.
The kind who comforts him when he wakes up terrified.
The kind whose calm commands set his blood on fire.
Convincing his bossy human theyāre meant to be together isnāt going to be easy. Especially not when Quintenās certain Caden needs things he canāt get from himāand that being a part of Quintenās life in the shadows is too dangerous.
And he might be right.
The Mobsterās Mate is a full-length novel featuring a human with questionable morals and a jaguar shifter who only sees the best in him. Youāll find an age gap, found family vibes, fated mates, and gobs of possessiveness.
This title is a standalone novel set within the Kincaid Pack universe. It can be read and enjoyed on its own. However, if youād like to understand the nuances of the world, then start your journey with The Alpha and His King (Kincaid Pack Book 1).
I found it hard to rate A Thousand Second Chances (A Dash of Modern Magic Book 1) by Elric Shaw because, while itās got so much to offer in terms of some of the characters and storylines, itās also got a main character that presents a challenge to the reader in terms of how much we can expect to like or connect with him.
I donāt think Shaw sees this character in the way he comes across, at least not in the manner he does to this reader.
The story is a LGBTQIA contemporary Ground Hog day tale, one situated in an historic location thatās been the subject of many popular stories, lending itself to a magical atmosphere just by its very tone and history. Thatās the famous Mackinac Island on Lake Huron in Michigan. No cars, bikes and carriages pulled by horses only, and the gorgeous Grand Hotel, along with all the many other shops and attractions, this is the perfect place to set a story that needs a magical twist to it.
It starts with a college trip, funded by the parent of one of the students, for a small group to go sightseeing, with an historic view, for the weekend, Professor in charge.
Chris, and his best friend, Quinn, are part of the group. Quinn has been the one who has been the instigator in getting Chris to come along. Chris has issues. He has a mother with boundaries problems, itās her way or no way. Chris came out to family, friends and teammates at college and it didnāt go well. Itās turned him into a loner with self esteem issues. A former runner without a team. His past is also a part of his current issues, and itās followed him on this journey.
Also on the trip, Percy, whose father set up the trip as a way for Percy to mourn the loss of his mother for both of them. Percyās character is intertwined with that of Chrisā, they have a long history, first as best friends, then as estranged secret lovers. Itās this last part thatās the main storyline of the book and most of the dramatic moments of the narrative.
Shawās two person POV gives the reader each characterās side of their journey to this point in their lives. Chris, who is bitter, out as gay, and fighting with his school, classmates (except for Quinn), with his parents, to be a writer. And the one person who he feels betrayed him is there on the trip, Percy.
Percy, whose story is complicated by the fact that he lost his mother to cancer, is a character I was frustrated by and unable to connect to. Yes, it was sad/heartbreaking his mother had died. That journey to a place where they had been happy as a family was a lovely touch but it was marred by a father, who much like his son, was unable to face his loss, so he pushed his āagenda of mourning ā onto his son. A legacy of cowardice that becomes a theme that the author never really thoroughly explores.
For 98 percent of this book, Perce is unable to deal with his own life fears/others expectations/inner voices, and truly face the devastating effect his actions have had on others. Iām not sure if the author is cognizant that they have written a character and a storyline that is so underwhelming weak in this way.
Perce is so unbelievably reliant upon other peopleās perception of him that he has taken his own wants and even promises and dreams and tosses them away. Even if those included people who were counting on him. He did it without communication, without thoughtful process, even afterwards when he knew he must have inflicted great harm. Itās a role he set for himself and a path he continues on for almost the entirety of the book.
He says he knows heās a coward. Chris waits for some word or actions to show that any of the multiple times or moments have changed the way things are. But while Chris is changing, there nothing but stasis for Perce.
And thatās almost certainly a killer when it comes to caring about a character going forward.
They repeat a day over and over, trying to figure out what they need to do to break the cycle. When the āahaā moment comes, it will surprise no one who the character is who makes the connection and saves the day.
Even at the end, Perce has made no concerted effort to talk in detail to anyone who heās hurt about the choices or lack thereof thatās heās made. Or really apologized to those people that heās damaged. Itās left dangling.
So when it came back to the rating, it based solely on the character of Chris, the growth he underwent, the magic of Mackinac Island, and how well Shaw utilized the Ground Hog day format here that gave it that rating. Read it if youāre a fan of the author , the trope, and the storytelling elements above.
The only thing worse than waking up stuck in a time loop is realizing your ex is trapped there with you.
When Chris begrudgingly agrees to accompany his best friend Quinn on a university trip to Michiganās picturesque Mackinac Island, he expects to suffer through a weekend of sightseeing, school-mandated activities, and entirely too much souvenir shopping. What he doesnāt anticipate is also having to avoid the boy who broke his heart.
Percy used to love his familyās annual excursions to Mackinac Island, but that all changed with the loss of his mother. This school trip is his chance to revisit some of their favorite haunts and honor her memory. However, whatās already guaranteed to be an emotionally charged weekend grows even more fraught when he discovers that heās not only caught in a time loop, but that the boy heād walked away from two years ago is his sole companion.
Forced together by the fickle whims of the universe, Chris and Percy must reopen old wounds and confront their painful pasts if they ever hope to escape their infinite Saturday. But even as they grow closer across myriad iterations of the same unending day, they grapple with one terrifying question.
Can the fragile connection theyāre rebuilding survive their inevitable return to the real world?
A slow burn, fade-to-black M/M contemporary romance featuring second chance, enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and a hard-won HEA. Every book in the A Dash of Modern Magic series is standalone and can be read in any order. Perfect for fans of Roan Parrish, Eli Easton, and Emma Scott.
A Thousand Second Chances (A Dash of Modern Magic Book 1)
The first in a new fantasy series, The Insanity of Reincarnated Mages and Amorous Vampires is a highly entertaining and fast paced fantasy adventure. Itās got reincarnated lovers, a sentient library, a found family of vampire warriors, and so much more.
All in all, a world of fun and magical action adventure, interwoven with love remembered and born again.
Sherwoodās characters are engaging, easily crossing time periods and a magical landscape to emerge in the modern world, embracing the cultural and technological aspects of the era, including even manga comics.
One of my favorite elements is the sentient library herself, Kassandra. A vibrant personality and key figure, even without a voice, I adored her. Master Declan, Ivy and the rest of the found family that defends and inhabits the library are amazing. Then thereās Kit, the one who was left behind, and Gun, the one who died and was reincarnated.
What a story and couple.
I was snared by the tragedy, pulled into the world by the adventures and hope of the future for the couple, and then just had a fabulous time with them along the way with the battles, the magic, and the ever enlarging foundation.
I canāt wait for the next in the series to come.
Iām highly recommending this to fans of this trope and author!
Reborn love. Unleashed magic. We wonāt fail twice.
Hi, Iām Kit. Immortal vampire and technomage extraordinaire. You know how it goes.
For the record, I am absolutely not stalking my reincarnated husband.
Okay, I am, but it’s for his own good. And mine. Er, assuming I can somehow figure out how to tell him heās reincarnated and a mage, and we all live in a sentient library.
Any thoughts on that? Iām currently taking suggestions.
One thingās for sure. Heās not dying on me again. Never again.
Tags:
The fluffiest fluff to ever fluff, that yāknow includes violence, magic, reincarnated lovers, vampires, sassy library, Kassandra the library has OPINIONS, found family, all the magical shenanigans, Kit and Gun are part time soulmates full time problem, authors have lost all discretion in this, Kit is a walking green flag, the crack ship armada is sailing at full speed here, master should never have access to a credit card, or a bookstore, no book is off-limits with that man, triggers involve too much sap and cuteness, occasionally blowing shit up, violence is not the question but it is the answer, Sentient Library Tells All, Iām absolutely a library book check me out.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 